Team work is way ahead for communities

Apr 26 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

ONE of the most senior politicians in the North East yesterday backed a new police drive to tackle the 10 worst criminals in every neighbourhood.

Northumbria’s Chief Constable Mike Craik this week said his officers were now going “on the offensive” against known criminals in his 39 neighbourhood areas.

And yesterday chairman of Northumbria Police Authority and Gateshead Council leader Mick Henry said decent people no longer had any need to fear those terrorising their communities.

Mr Henry, also chairman of the Association of North East Councils, said council staff and police officers needed to work together more. He suggested that local authority intervention including evictions and work by social services and education staff could take place alongside police action.

He acknowledged the role that members of the community have to play in helping Northumbria’s neighbourhood police teams to target the worst offenders in their communities.

He said: “People need to be reassured that by being involved and by sharing their concerns, they don’t need to be afraid of these people. We’re all working together on this now.”

Mr Henry also welcomed the new appointments service introduced by Northumbria, which will allow members of the public to arrange a meeting with a police officer if their call is not urgent.

He said: “Lots of organisations have realised over many years that the public’s aspirations are changing, and get higher. People are very busy.

“For many years now in local government we have been arranging appointments. The public deserve to have the respect of being given a proper appointment.

“We’re showing respect for the public and that we understand they have lives to work things around.

“If they have something to report, clearly they may be under stress as well, the last thing you want to do is make them wait.

“It’s a great idea to say ‘If it isn’t urgent and you would rather come in at a more convenient time, we’ll make sure we have someone available’.

“That’s really about modernising the police. It may not need to be a PC – if it doesn’t that means that PC can be out on the streets.”